Jeff Hanisch/US PRESSWIREBaby Panda power: Giants catcher Hector Sanchez went deep in the top of the 14th inning against Juan Perez to snap a tie Monday.

By
Reuters on May 22, 2012 12:00 am

Hector Sanchez homered with one out in the top of the 14th inning, lifting visiting the visiting Giants to a 4-3 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first of a three-game series on Monday.

Sanchez unloaded on Juan Perez (0-1), Milwaukee’s sixth pitcher, to give the Giants their fourth win in five games.

Buster Posey, who was replaced by Sanchez as part of a double switch in the 12th, belted a three-run homer in the first inning for San Francisco’s other runs.

Javier Lopez (4-0) worked one-third of an inning for the win and Santiago Casilla earned his 11th save.

Reigning National League MVP Ryan Braun belted a two-run tying home run in the eighth inning to spoil a magnificent outing by Giants starter Madison Bumgarner.

Braun, who extended his hitting streak to 10 games and has nine RBIs during a stretch of four straight multi-hit games, exited in the 10th inning due to right groin tightness.

Bumgarner had registered a season-high 10 strikeouts and was on cruise control until a two-out error by shortstop Brandon Crawford in the eighth inning opened the door for Braun’s blast.

Brewers starter Randy Wolf blanked the Giants for six innings after giving up Posey’s homer in the first. He allowed three runs on five hits.NOTES: Giants outfielder Angel Pagan sat out the game with a stomach ailment. He has an 11-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 31 of his last 32 games. … Posey’s homer was only the sixth by San Francisco in the month of May.

Lincecum still looking for spark

What’s up with Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum?

The question keeps being asked.

On Sunday, his record slipped to 2-4 after a 6-2 loss to Oakland and his ERA rose to 6.04. The Giants are just 2-7 in the nine games he’s started this season.

“Throughout this year — not me personally — it’s been like people are waiting for something bad to happen,” Lincecum said. “They’re waiting for that bad inning and wondering when it’s going to pop up. It’s just a matter of being confident in my stuff throughout the game and making better pitches.”

Lincecum isn’t blaming anything on a physical ailment and said he has no issues mentally, though manager Bruce Bochy said, “I’m thinking it’s more mental, a lack of concentration.”

Lincecum countered by saying, “I’ve been pretty focused throughout the whole game. It’s just a matter of executing pitches. They’re making me pay for those mistakes.”— The Sports Xchange via Reuters